Aquatic Beauty
by Lady Chitose
Summary: One's been under a lot of pressure lately. The other has been lonely. Together they just might be able to escape their troubles. ::AmiMichiru::
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: None of the Sailor Moon characters belong to me.

A/N: I kind of have writer's block as far as Two's Company goes, so I decided to start a new story. The pairing is Ami/Michiru since I have wanted to do something for this couple for a while. It takes place in the S season. This first part is relatively short but the next chapters will have more to them. Please do review!

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**Aquatic Beauty**

Prologue 

-_Meeting in the Water_-

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Ami dipped her toes into the lukewarm water. This week she had been taking multiple exams day after day, so every afternoon she'd go to the pool to relieve herself of some of the stress she carried. Unlike her friends, Ami felt she only possessed two talents: doing well in school, and swimming. Other than that, she had nothing. Why her own view of herself was that low was quite a mystery. Her friends have made numerous attempts to raise Ami's self-esteem, but it never seemed to work. Certainly Ami's friends knew she had a lot going for her, but conveying this to normally such a bright girl was a difficulty. Ami shivered slightly, causing goose bumps to cover her body. She slipped into the pool silently, although due to the fact she was all by her lonesome, the splashing of the water boomed and echoed throughout the pool. The blue-haired girl leaned against the ledge idly and stared into the ceiling, as if in deep contemplation.

Perhaps the reason for her rather low self-image was the fact she felt pressure to good the best at nearly everything, particularly academics. Of course, being human, Ami wasn't always the best and was occasionally surpassed when she was having a bad day or something like that. And whenever this happened, rather than encouraging their daughter to do better next time, they scolded her and forced her to study even more. As if the poor girl needed any more study time. Every time this happened, Ami felt under the weather for a few days, part of her pride dying in the process. It was like her parents thought Ami wasn't human and was forbidden from making mistakes. She inhaled deeply before submerging herself underwater and swam for quite a while before reappearing to the surface. Satisfied, Ami exhaled and brushed away her wet strands of cobalt hair. To her, this was certainly a nice break from her academics.

The door opened, the sound of foot steps following. Ami raised an eyebrow uncertainly. No one had been coming here for the past few days Ami had been there. And, truth be told, Ami relished having an entire pool to herself. Better one person than a large group, at least. Ami shifted back and forth, trying to avert her gaze from the door. Still, she managed to keep sight of the door from the corner of her eye. A beautiful young woman with flawless waves of aqua hair appeared.

Ami immediately recognized her. Michiru Kaioh. She was everything Ami wasn't, or so she believed: tall, graceful, rich, and seemingly perfect. If Ami's parents were to see her, even after the way she glamorously entered, they surely would have said, "Look at her, Ami. Can't you be more like her?" Ami shuddered. The last thing she needed her parents to do was compare her to someone else. She tried to rid her mind of her pessimistic thoughts. After all, she was at the pool to escape them. She reached out her arms in front of her and shoved the water out of her way, still watching Michiru, who was about the enter the pool at that point. Ami froze, hoping Michiru wouldn't notice her. That was unlikely though, since they were the only two there.

Ami couldn't help but wonder where Haruka was. Normally the racer would follow to watch her lover swim, if nothing else. But today Michiru was solo. Ami felt tempted to ask, but was nervous enough as it being in the artist's presence. Noticing she had been floating idly in the same spot for several minutes, Ami distractedly moved about in the water. Unbeknownst to the darker-haired lady, Michiru was stealthily creeping up behind her, only her teal eyes above water level, with a seemingly mischievous gleam in them.

Michiru uncharacteristically threw her arms around Ami's neck, causing droplets of water to fly through the air. Ami yelped in shock. That was the last thing Ami had expected Michiru to do. Had Usagi possessed her or something? Ami turned to face Michiru, who had a playful painted on her face.

"Um...hi Michiru-san," Ami squeaked, trying to recollect herself after that little fright. Michiru nodded in respect and broke out into a small giggling fit. This only furthered Ami's confusion.

"I'm sorry," Michiru said with a chuckle. "I just love doing that when people don't expect it. You should have seen your face." This deepened Ami's rosy blush. She wasn't sure if she should have been offended by that or not. As if reading the younger girl's thoughts, Michiru continued, "Don't worry. I do that to Haruka all the time."

"Speaking of which," Ami replied, glad that Haruka was brought up so she could get the subject off of herself. "Where is Haruka?"

Michiru had to think for a minute or so before remembering. "Oh, right. Haruka said she had to go out of town on a racing competition. I would have gone, but the plane ticket for herself alone was terribly expense. So instead she calls me every night so I can send her my support." She tucked damp locks of hair behind her ears casually. Ami nodded while admiring Michiru. Even when talking, she did it in a polite, formal way. Her voice was melodious and drew Ami in, even when she only said a few words. The way she talked was nearly as graceful as how she swam. If only Ami could be more like her. Maybe then she wouldn't feel like she was constantly under pressure.

After that was said, Michiru proposed a challenge. "Remember how we had little swimming races before?" She waited for Ami to nod before going on. "How about we have one of those again?" Michiru's devilish yet sweet grin widened, inducing a feeling of obligation in Ami. Admittedly she was apprehensive, considering how talented of a swimmer Michiru was, and she came to swim with intentions to only relax. But with the pleading glisten in Michiru's eyes, Ami wasn't sure how to turn down the offer. After some deliberation, Ami agreed and paddled behind Michiru to one side of the pool. As Ami looked out towards the other end, the other side seemed farther away than ever. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as Michiru explained some of the guidelines. When asked if she was ready, the smaller girl gulped and nodded slowly. After this, Michiru shouted, "GO!"

Despite the fact she felt her stomach in knots, Ami pushed her feet against the wall like Michiru did before diving into the water. Swiftly and gracefully, Michiru stroked away the water in her way with ease. Ami tried with unconditional effort to follow her elder's example, but she began to feel her body break down. Energy leaked out of her body, her pace gradually slowing down. Her breathing slowed simultaneously with her weakening vision. Soon everything was nothing but a blue blur...

And soon the blue faded to black.

**To Be Continued... **

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Nothing that interesting yet, but I do promise it will get better. Let me know what you think so far. 


	2. Chapter 1

I really appreciate all the feedback I received fro the first chapter alone. I thought it wouldn't do well since this is a more obscure pairing. Thank you all for giving this pairing a try! And on another note, I hope the alert system starts working again so I can reply to reviews an such...Grr...Anyway, here is the next chapter. I hope you like it.

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**Aquatic Beauty **

Chapter One

-_Stress and Sympathy_-

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It seemed like an eternity later when Ami awoke. She could see clearly, but she felt overdosed with dizziness. Even trying to lift her head from the luxurious pillow it was resting on took a great deal of effort. Judging simply by the room she was in, it definitely wasn't her house. She inferred that Michiru had taken her home after she blacked out. Ami was more than thankful for that, even though Michiru currently wasn't in sight. Hopefully she'd come back. Surely if Michiru hadn't abandoned Ami at the pool she wouldn't abandon a guest at her own house. Meanwhile, Ami only had the strength to glance around the room. Looked like whoever decorated when through a lot of effort - and money - to make the place look nice. Soon afterwards Michiru returned to the room with a tray. On it was a bowl of steaming soup and some juice, which she cautiously set in front of Ami. 

"Wh-what happened?" Ami stammered, hungrily eying her food. It looked delicious, but she didn't want to look like a pig, so she held off on eating for now. That and she was in desperate need of some answers to questions she had.

Michiru knelt beside Ami. "Basically you blacked out. When I saw you weren't behind me, I got worried. That's when I saw your body sinking. Luckily you were still breathing through your nose when I caught you. I didn't know where your house was, so I decided to take you to mine so you could recover. Here, have some soup." She grabbed the spoon and scooped up some of the chicken broth and inserted it in Ami's mouth. The temperature was hotter than Ami was used to, causing her tongue to tingle. She continued, "It's probably out of my place to ask, but are you okay? Is there a reason you went unconscious?"

Ami swallowed her soup and stared at the maroon wall quizzically. She wasn't quite sure how to subtly explain her situation without giving away too much information. Then again, it's not like Michiru would go around telling everyone her business. But still, Michiru seemed so...flawless. She probably wouldn't understand Ami's stressful life. Of course, even geniuses like Ami are wrong sometimes...

"Well..." Ami began awkwardly. Seemed like she hadn't much of a choice. She breathed and continued. "I've been under a lot of pressure lately. I've had exams and such. Speaking of which, I really ought to get home to-"

Michiru firmly yet affectionately silenced the smaller girl by pressing her index fingers against her pale lips. "Hush," Michiru cooed. "You're a bright girl. You'll ace those exams. As for your parents, well, you can worry about them later. You need to rest."

That comment did help raise Ami's morale a bit. Despite this, she croaked, "Well, I should at least go home to get my explanation over with, then rest. Besides, I'd hate to be a burden to you." She felt almost unworthy of being in such a lovely house, and the only reason she'd been there in the first place was because she had fainted while swimming. Though Ami was touched by Michiru's kindness, but she couldn't help but want to go home. Surely Michiru didn't want to spend her evening watching after someone she could barely call an acquaintance. She tried to untangle the sheets that covered her so she could move out of the bed. Michiru prevented her, however, by sitting on the edge of the bed and stretching out an arm before her.

"Honestly, you're anything but a burden," Michiru's eyes twinkled with a genuine sense of caring. Ami could tell Michiru wasn't offering because she felt obligated in any way; she truly wanted to help Ami get better. That fact made her feel slightly better. Ami relaxed into the bed. "Besides," Michiru added. "I do miss having company, what with Haruka being gone and such. Now you eat up." She placed a bell on the table beside the bed. "Ring that if you need me." Michiru then left the room. With the soup being cooler, Ami could comfortably eat. She wondered if Haruka got this kind of special treatment when she wasn't feeling well. If so, Haruka was one lucky woman.

--------------------

As she allowed Ami to regain her energy, Michiru strolled to the living room. About now was the time she usually talked to Haruka via phone. She found the paper on which she had scribbled Haruka's hotel phone number and grabbed the phone. Settling on the couch, she dialed the number, impatiently waiting as multiple rings passed. Finally, when Michiru asked for the extension to Haruka's room, she waited through more rings. After finally reaching Haruka's room, the answering machine came on. Rather than leave a message, Michiru just hung up. She actually wanted to hear Haruka's voice, not leave a personal message on some machine. She sighed and laid her head against the arm of the sofa. It felt like forever since Haruka had left. She wanted someone to comfort her, to hug her, to stroke her hair passionately. And now she was starved of love longer than she'd ever been before. Maybe being around Ami could take her mind off of the situation. And coincidentally, she heard a faint bell ring while she was thinking of Ami. Hurriedly Michiru dashed back to the room in which Ami was in.

"Yes Ami-chan?" Michiru asked, eying Ami's empty soup bowl. Maybe she was still hungry. When she gestured to take her soup bowl, Ami stopped her and motioned for her to sit beside her on the bed. Slightly worried, Michiru followed her instruction. "What's the matter? Are you still hungry?"

"No," the blue-haired girl responded wistfully. "Just someone to talk to." She grinned feebly at her caretaker. Even though the two weren't really that close, so to speak, Ami had a feeling Michiru wouldn't mind at least listening to her talk about her problems. If anything, it might help break the ice between them so they could become closer. Ami hadn't intended to do that though; she was just feeling sad and a bit lonely. Little did she know, Michiru was as well.

Michiru curled up beside the smaller girl and made eye contact, showing she was paying attention. Taking a minuscule sip of her beverage to soothe her dry throat, Ami began. "Do you know what it's like to, you know, have everyone expect only perfection from you? And in result, you develop a habit of trying far too hard to avoid flaws? And then because of that-"

"You end up stressed out and feel like you aren't being treated like a human being," Michiru concluded solemnly, her head falling downward, causing her smooth hair to cover her face like a velvet curtain. "Trust me, I know all too well what that feels like. In fact..."

-Flashback-

At the tender young age of seven, Michiru had already shown a superb talent for painting. Because of this, her parents thought it would be a good idea to enroll her in art lessons, despite the fact the young child already had many lessons to attend weekly. They didn't care though. All they wanted was to make their daughter a well-rounded person who embraced her gifts. That's what they believed they were doing; that they weren't harming their child. Deep down, young Michiru was suffering from a great deal of stress, far more than any girl her age should be exposed to. She sighed with exhaustion and tried to stay awake as she stroked a paintbrush against the paper on her easel. The art teacher was strolling around the room, scrutinizing each person's piece and nitpicking any little pieces she saw as mistakes. If Michiru didn't love art as much as she did, she would have grown to hate it because of the teacher. Why her parents forced her to have such an obnoxious teacher, she was sure she'd never know.

The old woman stopped by Michiru's area and cleaned her thick eyeglass lenses before closely examining the young lady's work. Even with her glasses on, the teacher had to lean in close to the painting so that the tip of her long, bony nose was nearly touching the paper. After mumbling something to herself, she moved away from the piece and removed her eyeglasses while scribbling on a notepad. "I'm very disappointed in you, Michiru," the art instructor shot bitterly. "You know, when you first started, you were absolutely excellent. But the past couple of weeks, your work has suffered. You'd better shape up soon." And that was all she said before moving on to her next victim.

Michiru glared at the teacher sourly. Her work was better in the beginning because she wasn't suffering such anxiety as she was now. Of course, once her teacher had a conference with her parents, her parents would believe the instructor before even giving Michiru a chance to defend herself. That was the cycle she went through regularly, the cycle that caused her stress, the cycle that caused her to hate herself more each week.

-End of flashback-

Ami stared at the older girl in shock. She never knew how alike they were in terms of their parents' expectations. Setting her plates aside, Ami inched closer to Michiru and gently placed her arms around her neck. The aqua-haired lady felt a faint blush creep over her face for some reason, though she couldn't fathom why. After all, it was just a platonic, sympathetic hug. Her blush deepened a shade when Ami started rubbing her back softly with one hand, the other resting on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry to hear that Michi," Ami whispered, her voice filled with sadness, which was accompanied by a touch of empathy. Michiru couldn't help but smile to herself. Not only because she liked hearing someone else beside Haruka call her 'Michi', but also at the fact that Ami was full of sympathy and delicacy for others. No wonder people often went to her with their problems. However, Michiru felt especially touched that Ami went to her with her problems.

"Don't be Ami-chan," Michiru replied, moving the smaller girl away from her so that their eyes met. "That's over now. And if I can get through a rough time like that, then I'm sure you can too." Now Michiru was comfortable making her smile visible to Ami.

The blue-haired girl sniffled a little and crossed her arms, shivering. "You think so Michi?"

"I know so."

With that said, Michiru draped the sheets and cover around Ami's shoulders and gently pushed her so she lay tucked in bed. Michiru brushed some of Ami's stray cerulean hairs away from her pale face and mumbled, "It'll be okay." She was about ready to go to bed in her room, until she heard something calling her name. Surely enough, it was Ami.

"Michiru?" the guest asked feebly. "This may sound a bit...um, odd..." Michiru moved closer to the bed and waited for Ami to finish her sentence. "...but can you sleep in this bed with me tonight?" Ami purposefully worded her request that way since she didn't want to give Michiru the wrong idea. She just felt better in the elder female's presence, for some reason. Surprisingly, Michiru nodded and crawled in the empty spot beside Ami. She crept under the covers as Ami's eyelids soon covered her tired, bloodshot eyes. Even though it wasn't Haruka, Michiru was actually very happy to have someone else beside her to keep her company through the night.

**To Be Continued... **


	3. Chapter 2

Thanks again to the readers and reviewers. This chapter took me a while, but I have the next one planned out already. Yesterday I was out celebrating my birthday, but I managed to finish this chapter. Hope you like it.

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**Aquatic Beauty **

Chapter Two

-_Battling with Water_-

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Hours later came the arrival of morning. Ami's eyes fluttered open to sunlight streaming through the window. Her first emotion was panic, since she at first thought she had to go to school, but she remembered that it was an in-service day. That thought relaxed her slightly, at least until she then realized she'd have to phone her parents and give an explanation for why she'd been away. That was hard enough on its own, but she knew she'd have to tell them how she feels too. Despite her parents being doctors, this was one of those things that was easier said than done.

Heaving a sigh, she tossed the sheets aside and prepared to get herself cleaned up. Or at least she attempted to, but stopped since something was latched onto her hip. She then was reminded that she had shared a bed with Michiru that night. Ami was unsure if she should wait until Michiru awoke or if she should gently remove her hand from her body. This question didn't remain unanswered for long, as Michiru's eyes slowly opened, indicating the lady's awakening. Blinking and rubbing her eyes, Michiru's arms stretched into the air.

She grinned politely at Ami, who appeared to have a light, somewhat cute blush on her face. At first puzzled, Michiru was tempted to ask what was wrong. Shortly afterwards she realized what had triggered the girl's face to flush bright red. With a sheepish grin, Michiru rubbed the back of her head and said, "Sorry about that. You see, I have a tenancy to grab onto the person next to me when I sleep. Hope it didn't bother you." Michiru purposefully failed to mention the name 'Haruka' since it became a rather sensitive subject for the aqua-haired girl ever since her departure. She intended to try calling again today but wasn't exactly feeling optimistic about it.

"No problem, I was fine," came Ami's response. In fact, she was far too mentally exhausted last night to be disturbed by something so small as a gesture like that. If anything, Ami actually found it comforting, but she chose not to mention that.

A silence hung in the air after that moment. Michiru examined Ami's face. Just by looking she could tell Ami was stressed out about having to talk to her parents later. Even though they'd only been together for a mere day, Michiru had a talent for reading others' body language. For reassurance, Michiru rested a hand firmly on Ami's shoulder, made eye contact, and whispered, "You'll be fine. Don't worry so much about it. I'm here for you." A smile followed, putting Ami at ease.

"You know people too well Michiru," Ami replied, grinning gingerly. "I'll call them later today, as soon as I figure out exactly what to say to them." Again, this was easier said than done. Maybe she should write down her thoughts just to straighten them out ahead of time. That was part of her nature anyway.

The two girls walked towards the bathroom together. Michiru went to the sink, tying back her hair before doing anything else. "Anyhow, I thought I'd go down to the pool for a swim," Michiru added, turning on the water and warming it up with her hand. She cupped her hands together and let water flow into her palms. Her face moved closer to her hands so the water could rinse her face. Ami stood beside the door, somehow feeling rather awkward. Michiru quickly brushed her teeth before leading the younger girl to the living room. "Though just to be safe maybe you should just sit and watch this time. I don't want anything to happen to you again."

As much as Ami desired to be in the water again, she thought that Michiru's judgment was wise. Besides, that way she'd be able to bring her notepad to plan out her unpleasant phone call home. As if reading her mind, Michiru went over to where she had left a bag and dug out a palm-sized mobile phone. She placed it in Ami's hands trustfully. "You can use this to phone home, if you want to."

Gratefully Ami accepted and dashed back to what had been their room for the past day or two. Michiru had changed hastily into her swimsuit with a sweat suit covering it, then allowing her guest to change her clothes. She slipped into a casual outfit Michiru left out since Ami, of course, only had one outfit. She put on her jacket and tucked the phone into one of the many pockets, afterwards following Michiru out the front door. The wind was bitter that day, but Michiru wasn't the type to let a little wind ruin her plans. Ami followed, tucking her hands under her arms to keep warm. Unfortunately her jacket was thin, since it wasn't exactly made for this kind of weather. Michiru kept a brisk pace at the beginning but managed to slow herself down a little for Ami's sake.

Upon arriving at the pool, Ami entered the locker room with Michiru and sat on a bench, tapping the pen anxiously against her notepad. She bit her lip as she felt beads of sweat roll down her face. She couldn't do this. But deep down she knew the longer she avoided it the worse it would be. Ami stopped and looked up once Michiru appeared in front of her. The aqua-haired girl was dressed in a stunning deep purple bikini that fitted her perfectly. She threw her towel over her porcelain shoulders after dabbing it against her wet face. "Let's go," Michiru instructed, causing Ami to stand up and follow behind her.

'Wow, she really looks gorgeous in a swimsuit,' Ami thought to herself, wishing she had as nice of a body. That was one area Ami felt very self-conscious in, considering she wasn't the most athletic person. She sat on a bench against the wall while Michiru gracefully dived into the pool, causing small droplets of water to fly through the air. At that time Ami fished out the cell phone Michiru gave her and stared at it with worried eyes. She bit her lip as her shaky fingers pressed against the keys of the phone. Just as her finger pressed against the last key, an ear-splitting crashing sound disturbed the peace.

Startled, Ami immediately let go of the phone, allowing it to fall onto the hard tiled floor. Some gruesome-looking mutant with tentacles entered the building. Before Michiru had any time to act, the creature grabbed tight hold of her body in its slimy tentacles. The grip tightened, causing Michiru to only be allowed to shriek in helplessness. Ami was going to change that. Quickly she whipped out her transformation wand and shouted, "Mercury Star Power, Make Up!"

In a blue blur her baggy clothes were replaced with her blue and white sailor uniform. She wasted no more time and immediately prepared to attack. With her arms tucked in towards her chest, she gracefully spun in a circle before attacking with Mercury Aqua Rhapsody. Her first attack didn't phase the monster, but she methodically attacked from all angles until she struck its weak spot. The monster screeched in deep pain, swinging its tentacles wildly. Michiru's body was flung back into the water. Due to her low energy level, she was incapable of helping herself to the surface. Slowly her body sank closer to the bottom of the pool. Before she went too deep, Mercury speedily dived into the water and scooped the woman into her arms. Just as the senshi of ice was about to make sure Michiru wasn't too injured, the creature was about to attack Sailor Mercury from behind. The monster violently struck the soldier, which made her body fly to the other side of the room. Fortunately she noticed Michiru hadn't been attacked, which made her feel a little better, despite the painful sensation in her back. She knew very well before she could check on Michiru, she'd have to annihilate the youma. Standing up and evading the next attack in the nick of time, Sailor Mercury gathered all strength she could muster while trying to relocate its weak spot. She ran around the pool while barely managing to escape the smashing of the creature's tentacles.

Groaning, Michiru rubbed a tender spot on her head. She had no idea what had happened. The last thing she remembered clearly was swimming, then being interrupted by a blaring shattering noise. After that she seemed to have blacked out, like she had been the victim of a brutal attack. Teal eyes peeked through half-open slits, her vision somewhat blurry. All she could make out was a large blob trying to strike someone with its arms or some other body part. The person running was clad in white and a blue skirt that looked familiar. The blurriness lessened slightly, revealing who was the one battling.

'Mercury...' Michiru feebly murmured to herself. She managed the smallest smile for a second, then fell to the ground. She appeared to be sleeping, her aqua hair splayed around her head. Whether she was merely asleep from exhaustion or loss of consciousness was unclear. With one final blow from Sailor Mercury, there was another obnoxious cry. The monster seemed to have disappeared. Immediately Sailor Mercury went back to her form as Ami and ran over to Michiru's side.

"Michiru?" Ami asked desperately. "Please say something." She'd really hoped Michiru hadn't died. There was no way she'd be able to live with that kind of guilt, and on top of that have to break the news to Haruka. Ami put her hands on the aqua-haired lady's shoulders and shook rapidly. Moving some of the wavy hair out of her face, Ami assumed Michiru had merely lost consciousness. Judging by her face, Ami thought she was probably lacking oxygen. Luckily Ami, coming from a medically educated family, knew how to give CPR. She rolled Michiru onto her back, opened her mouth, and pressed her lips against the other's. She inhaled through her nose before exhaling into Michiru's mouth. Just as Ami felt tempted to give up, she heard a moan, indicating Michiru was waking up. Ami moved away to make eye contact with her. Indeed, the other girl was fine now. Both of them smiled at each other.

"Thank you Ami," Michiru croaked, coughing and pounding her chest afterwards.

"You're welcome. It was the least I could do." Ami was just glad she was able to fight off the youma alone before either of them ended up fatally injured or dead.

"I feel so foolish," Michiru whispered, barely loud enough for Ami to hear. "I should have been prepared for this kind of thing..." She frowned and coughed up chlorinated water from the pool.

"Don't say that," Ami said in an attempt to comfort her. "Neither of us foresaw this. And you're fine, that's all that matters to me."

Michiru gazed at Ami's face. By the look in her eyes, she could feel the genuine concern she held. That by itself made her feel safe. Ami was almost too nice of a girl, Michiru thought. She found herself thinking that each day they spent together, each day in a more affectionate way. It was a blessing that they had met a few days ago. Both needed company for their own reasons. Weakly Michiru brought herself to her legs. After making sure she had the cell phone in her pocket, Ami let Michiru put her arm around her shoulder so she could walk more easily. The aqua-haired girl gathered her possessions from the locker room. Once she sat down on the bench, Ami noticed she had a hard time getting up. Her hands were pushed against her chest, her breath short and shallow as if making the smallest movement was tiring.

"Come on," Ami said, holding out her arms.

A puzzled look appeared on Michiru's face. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'll carry you home. You shouldn't tire yourself out any more."

Her eyes became wide in surprise. Would Ami be able to manage traveling to her house with another body to carry? Admittedly Michiru was concerned about being too heavy for Ami, but she very well knew she hadn't the strength to walk home without stopping every few minutes. So she wrapped her hands around the blue-haired girl's neck, allowed her legs to rest in one of her arms, and snuggled her head to Ami's shoulder.

She felt herself drift in and out of sleep as Ami kept a firm grasp on her body. It was a bit surprising to Michiru how strong Ami was. Maybe it was an exaggeration, but Michiru could have mistaken the blue-haired girl for Haruka. Between her strong arms and her short hair trailing down the nape of her neck that she felt with her palms, it didn't seem that farfetched at the time. Though the thought of Haruka carrying her such a long distance was bittersweet. It would have been a romantic, sweet thought, if she hadn't received a shocking call from the blonde. Despite their talk, Michiru still found she had feelings for Haruka. Yet somehow, it was as if these feelings faded with Ami's presence.

**To Be Continued...  
**

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Yeah, you probably already know what happens next, but I wanted to at least try to keep some of it a surprise. Let me know what you think so far. 


	4. Chapter 3

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**Aquatic Beauty **

Chapter Three

-_Friends Reunite_-

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Each step brought Ami closer to Michiru's house. Now that the senshi of the sea had fallen into a rather deep sleep, her body felt heavier in Ami's arms. Nevertheless, Ami managed to keep her grip on the lady. Her feet throbbed with pain that stretched throughout her legs while her arms held numbness. Trying to rid her mind of the physical pain, Ami gazed up at the sky. Night sure came quickly. Stars twinkled against the navy canvas that was the sky. Besides that, the only source of light was the soft glowing of the lanterns along the sidewalk. Somehow this kind of peacefulness was soothing to Ami. 

Too bad Michiru wasn't awake to see it. Although with her asleep, Ami was able to closely take note of her face. The soft glow of the lanterns highlighted her face as well as her wavy aqua hair. Lengthy eyelashes looked like burnished charcoal against her pale skin tone. Ami smiled. People looked so beautiful in their slumber, especially Michiru.

Upon arriving at the steps of the house, Ami had to struggle between holding Michiru and digging the key out of Michiru's backpack, which rested on her shoulder. Methodically Ami shook her arms, allowing the backpack to slide down to near her elbow. With her free hand Ami unzipped the backpack and fished through its contents until she got the key. Wincing from physical fatigue, Ami opened the door to reveal the dark, unlit living room.

It was quiet, in a surreal kind of way. The blue-haired girl tossed the backpack onto the ground and then turned on a light. It was lucky Michiru lived alone, since if Ami snuck into her home this late her parents would immediately hunt her down and interrogate her as if she were some sort of a criminal. Gently Michiru slipped out of Ami's arms and onto the bed without waking from her sleep. Yawning, Ami changed switched her clothes for a clean nightgown before lying beside Michiru. If Michiru was tired from merely swimming, there was no doubt Ami felt even more tired. Yet she didn't fall asleep immediately. Instead Ami rested her head on the shoulders of the curled up girl.

It was interesting how much of a difference the presence of another person made her feel. Sure, she enjoyed being with her friends like Usagi, but typically Ami preferred the quiet tranquility of her room, where she could read or do whatever else in peace. Ever since she met Michiru and became closer with her in merely a few days that had changed. Before this whole pool incident Michiru was simply another sailor senshi. Now she was a precious friend. Even if this event hadn't taken place Ami would have fought for Michiru anyway. Senshi were supposed to do that, to protect one another. But it seemed her actions were fueled by something else, some other emotion.

Without bothering to do any more thinking, Ami closed her eyes and fell sound asleep.

---

All the inner senshi minus Ami were gathered around a table the next day around noon. Ami being absent of all people was very unusual, and if she was absent she'd inform everyone else ahead of time. For the third meeting the senshi of Mercury was missing, and no one had any information explaining her behavior.

"I'm very concerned about Ami," Rei said. "I know for a fact she hasn't been at home sick or anything like that. Obviously she hasn't been staying with any of us. So what does that leave?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up in the hospital from studying too much," groaned a sleepy Minako, who briefly lifted her head out of her folded arms. Why she was tired was a mystery. Typically Usagi was the one tired, yet she was wide awake. Looks like things in general had been very peculiar lately.

"Minako, this is no laughing matter," Rei scolded.

Makoto was just as puzzled as the shrine maiden. "Rei-chan, how do you know she's not at home?"

"Well, I received a call from her parents just yesterday. This is how it went…"

-Flashback-

Rei was busily cleaning around the house. Lately the place had been a pigsty, and knowing her grandfather loathed cleaning, she took it upon herself to clear the filth. All the while she was wondering about Ami. Perhaps she was rather paranoid, being worried even though it hadn't yet been a week, but Rei couldn't help the part of her that was protective. The idea of any of her friends being harmed filled her with so many different emotions.

Something that would partially answer the questions stirring in her head came: the ringing of the phone. Rei answered. "Hino residence."

"Hello, Rei-san." Rei's brow furrowed. The voice certainly wasn't familiar. The person on the other end sounded too old to be any of her friends. What further confused her was that this stranger knew her name. She assumed it could have been someone calling for her grandfather, but she turned out to be incorrect.

"Hello, may I ask who this is?" Rei replied after a few seconds, trying to hide the uncertainty in her voice with politeness.

"Oh, I apologize. This is Mizuno Kokoro, Ami's mother."

Rei's heart stopped. Even more thoughts flooded her head after that sentence. What if her mother was calling because something terrible happened to her? Was Ami in such severe condition that she couldn't talk for herself? Pessimism seemed to be the center of Rei's thoughts for some reason.

"Oh, okay," was all Rei managed to say in response.

"I'm just wondering if perhaps Ami has been staying at your house for the past few days," Ami's mother continued, slight worry building up in her voice. "I've been really worried. Normally she would have called by now to let me know of her location, but that hasn't been the case."

Rei's heart suddenly began to race. What was she to tell Ami's mother? She hated the idea of simply saying she didn't know where Ami was, as that would no doubt cause the worried parent greater grief. On the other hand, she couldn't lie either. So she ended up saying the first thing to escape her lips. "Oh, I'm so sorry. She's fine. You see, my grandfather has been in awful health condition lately, so I invited Ami over to help me take care of him, since she is medically educated. She would have called you, but she's been very busy. The electricity's been going off lately as well."

Suddenly Kokoro sighed in relief. "I'm so glad to hear that. I would have hated to hear something happened to my lovely daughter. I hope your grandfather recovers quickly. Tell Ami to contact me as soon as possible."

"Yes ma'am."

"Thank you," Kokoro said gratefully. With a farewell, she hung up.

Rei placed the phone in its receiver. Her eyes widened with disbelief at what she had just said. She had told a big, fat lie, no doubt about it. She wasn't even entirely sure of what prompted her to do such a thing. Maybe the thought of being the one to cause her mother even more worry and concern did. And besides, with the other three inner senshi she ought to be able to locate Ami soon enough, right?

She sure hoped so, for the sake of her mother and her own conscience.

-End of Flashback-

"Don't worry so much Rei-chan!" Usagi chirped. "We'll find Ami-chan soon enough."

Rei grinned sheepishly. She had to admit, she loved Usagi's ever-optimistic attitude. At times it seemed simplistic and childish, and yet at others it was admirable how full of hope she could be. She found herself nodding a few minutes later. "Yes. Yes we will."

And at that moment, a certain blue-haired girl dashed through the door, much to the surprise of the four girls. Ami's breathes were shallow, allowing her to barely mutter, "I'm sorry! I'm here!"

"Ami-chan!" Usagi cheered. Predictably the blonde jumped to her feet and greeted the other girl with a tight hug. Ami grinned. Same old Usagi. Judging by the looks of her other friends, they were also very relieved by her appearance. Promptly after Usagi released her grip on Ami she sat down.

"Ami-chan, where have you been?" Makoto asked, half-concerned and half-curious. The other three felt the same way about the situation.

"Long story," Ami replied, still catching her breath. Upon remembering she had been absent from the past senshi meetings, Ami told Michiru she was leaving and literally ran most of the way to the Hikawa Shrine. It was like ever since she'd been staying with Michiru everything else except the aqua-haired lady had totally escaped her mind. Now she felt exceedingly guilty about it. "But basically I was at the pool when I had something of a panic attack. Michiru was there, and she's been sheltering me ever since. I'm somewhat afraid to go home now. And I am deeply sorry about not calling you all sooner. Everything's been happening quickly lately."

The four of her friends let out a huge sigh of relief upon hearing Ami's explanation. They'd all feared something much worse had occurred. Of course hearing she had suffered a panic attack or something as the result of stress made them concerned too.

"It's fine Ami-chan," Minako said. "Main thing is we're all glad you're okay now." All the while Makoto, Usagi, and Rei nodded in agreement. "Has Michiru been taking good care of you?"

"Oh, yes, very much. She's a great person to talk to," Ami stated matter-of-factly. Then it hit her: her parents were probably worried sick. "Oh no!" she blurted out abruptly. "My parents. I have to call them…"

"Speaking of which," Rei added. "They called me yesterday. I told them you were with me so they wouldn't be overly worried. Hope you don't mind." Rei smiled nervously. "They want you to call them whenever possible."

That statement alleviated Ami of the worry that had so suddenly washed over her. "No, I don't. I really appreciate that." Ami smiled back at Rei. She felt very fortunate to have such considerate friends who thought for her when she felt overwhelmed. "I'll call them when I go home." It hadn't occurred to her that she had referred to Michiru's house as home until she noticed her friends' confused facial expressions. "I mean Michiru's house," she corrected.

"But first," Minako suggested, grinning as if she had sort of big plan. "We shall party to celebrate!"

Makoto giggled apprehensively. "Minako, what exactly are we celebrating?"

Minako seemed shocked that Makoto had to ask. "Ami's return, of course! I even baked a cake ahead of time for this moment!" With that she ran to Rei's kitchen, the place in which she had apparently been storing her baked treat for this event. The other senshi laughed nervously, not so eagerly awaiting Minako's creation.

---

The little celebration lasted longer than Ami had anticipated, but she didn't mind. She had fun, which alleviated her of some of the stress she had been carrying. And much to the shock of not only her but the other three girls, Minako's cake tasted quite good. Makoto joked that it was probably store-bought, which seemed possible. She smiled. Good thing she showed up rather than calling them.

Due to the fact she didn't feel up to walking all the way back to Michiru's place, she ended up riding the bus. While aboard the vehicle she noticed the night sky. It was just as beautiful as last night. The milky crescent floated in the sky among the stars, with the streetlights echoing the light of the sky. Yet somehow Ami felt something was different about that night from the previous one. Something was missing.

Then she remembered. Michiru wasn't there.

A blush formed on her face. Could she really have liked holding Michiru that much? If she did she didn't want to admit it. It didn't make sense that Ami could have possibly grown so fond of Michiru so quickly. But emotions were probably beyond her logic.

She departed the bus and crossed the street to Michiru's house. Somewhere in her pocket hid the key Michiru loaned her so she could come back when she pleased. When she inserted the key and walked in, she was welcomed by silence and darkness. Ami found this very strange, since it was still relatively early in the night.

She could have sworn she heard a whimpering sound. Curiously Ami stalked down the Michiru's room, all the while the sound growing stronger and stronger. She lightly knocked on the door before entering to find Michiru sprawled on the bed, her face hidden in pillows. Surely enough, Michiru was the source of the weeping sound.

"Michiru!" Ami dashed to the other girl's side. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Slowly Michiru raised her head from the pillow, though she didn't make eye contact with Ami. Before speaking she bit her lower lip and inhaled. "Well…" she spoke in between sobs. "It's…it's…"

"It's what?"

"It's about Haruka…"

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

I picked the name for Ami's mother randomly. Anyway, let me know your thoughts so far. 


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: This chapter took SO long for me to write. I had the basic ideas in mind and couldn't seem to put them into words. I'm glad I did. I do still care about this story and still want to complete it. Thank you to my readers for supporting me.

* * *

**Aquatic Beauty**

Chapter Four

_-New Emotions Arise-_

* * *

_Haruka? _

The name lingered in Ami's head. Haruka. Haruka meant the world to Michiru, and vice versa. Or that's what she and the other Senshi had believed.

It went without saying that the news wasn't good, whatever it was. Ami walked over to her sobbing friend. She decided to allow Michiru to cry for a while before any questions. There were times that you needed to talk and others when you just had to be there. That had been taught to her through the other Senshi. The people who cured Ami of her loneliness. The people she was thankful for, just as she was thankful for Michiru. Ami simply sat and waited until Michiru spoke to talk. Occasionally she glanced over at her to show her concern.

Michiru's sobs softened to whimpers, which eventually disappeared. She inhaled and regained herself, dabbing her eyes with tissue. Part of her wanted to cry more, but she couldn't expend any more energy, and she didn't like for anyone to see her in her current condition. Haruka probably never had, so that showed something. Maybe Michiru bottled emotions by habit more than anything, or thought showing them made her appear vulnerable.

"Um, Michiru," Ami whispered meekly. "May I ask what's wrong?"

More sniffles arose. Michiru buried her red, puffy face into the nearest pillow.

"You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to," Ami added, feeling slightly guilty.

"No, I do, actually." Michiru recollected herself. Her head rose from the pillow and she tried her face with her hands. "You see," she began slowly. Ami stared at her, eyes glowing with concern. The suspense was nearly killing her. "Haruka…while she was at her racing competition, she met a fan named Sachiko. A dedicated fan at that." She stopped again. The words stung in her mouth, but she had to tell someone before the burden of holding it inside caused her to break down. She cleared her throat. "And so during her free time, she decided to go out on a friendly date with her, and next thing she knew, they were…" She couldn't bear to complete her sentence, although it was only two words. Two insignificant yet powerful words.

"In love?" Ami finished for her, her voice barely above a whisper.

Michiru nodded solemnly. A few sobs fought their way up her throat but she swallowed them back down."Haruka said she always loved me, and I loved her too. But all this time, we weren't truly _in_ love. Meeting Sachiko made her realize that. And I can't be too sad, because the person I love…well, loved, is happy, and we do still care for each other. You can't help who you fall in love with."

Ami grinned half-heartedly. The fact Michiru didn't let selfishness take over and remained rational was admirable. Even in a time of grief Michiru was wise. She hoped to be like that someday too.

"I'm glad you're taking it so well. But I do feel sorry for you." Hesitantly, Ami moved closer to the aqua-haired girl and brought her into a tight hug. Michiru was shocked that Ami did such a thing, but once the shock had passed, she was overcome with a feeling of warmth. A feeling that hadn't visited her for months.

Soon Michiru was holding Ami as well in a loving manner. Maybe it was for the better that they split up. She wasn't aware of it until now, but Haruka wouldn't have listened as well and have been as supportive as Ami. Sure, she was a caring person, but Ami seemed to have a better understanding and sensitivity of emotions. It was probably a breakup with mutual benefit then. Michiru smiled and wiped away her last tear for the evening.

After a long period of time, the two pulled away from each other and made eye contact. Ami's tender gaze seemed to wash out the last of Michiru's sadness.

"Anything I can do to help you feel any better?" Ami asked softly.

"You've done plenty, believe me." A warm grin appeared on Michiru's face. "Just having someone to talk to who will listen is a blessing."

A rare sense of pride filled Ami. She scarcely found the chance to be proud of herself given her habit of being hard on herself, but this was an exception. For once, she was able to help someone she truly cared about feel better. That was more than fulfilling for her.

"So," Michiru asked, making herself comfortable in her bed. "How was the meeting?"

Ami's legs curled into her chest, her arms holding them in. "It was fine. They mainly wanted to know where I was. Rei covered for me and said I was at her house when my mother called her. After telling them about the events at the pool and such, Minako gave us cake." Ami chuckled a little. "It was the strangest cake we'd ever tasted. Even Usagi couldn't finish her piece."

Michiru's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "It must have been pretty bad if Usagi didn't eat all of it."

Ami nodded. "Minako made it after all. She's no expert chef. Rei loves her all the same though."

"They're a cute couple," Michiru said, genuinely smiling. It was almost as if she'd totally forgotten about Haruka.

"Yeah." Yawning, Ami stretched her arms out. She glanced at the clock. It amazed her how the time flew by when she was talking to Michiru. "Well, I'll be going to bed now." Rising from the bed, she went to another room to change her clothes.

"Come back here?" Michiru asked just as Ami was at the door.

The blue-haired girl paused. Puzzled, she looked back at Michiru. "What was that?"

"Sleep here tonight, please?" Michiru requested somewhat shyly. "I...don't know what it is...but your aura...it soothes me. When you're near, the sea is calm, at ease. I think I'll sleep better knowing you're by me." Her cheeks looked a little rosier all of a sudden.

Flattered, Ami gladly agreed to do so. She loved the feeling of being needed. Her parents weren't around often enough to make her feel needed. When fighting with the Sailor Senshi she felt needed too, but somehow this was different. It was her duty, her obligation to fight as a Senshi. However, this wasn't. The fact Michiru wanted her there just because made her feel significant. It was amazing the effect the aqua-haired girl had on her self-esteem in such a short period of time.

She stripped off her clothing and slipped into a nightgown. By the time Ami reentered Michiru's room, she was fast asleep. Ami figured that would happen. She turned off Michiru's lamp and quietly crept under the covers. Thoughts flooded her head the minute she laid down. Well, a quote, more like. It replayed in Ami's head.

"_You can't help who you fall in love with."_

Why couldn't she get that out of her head? She wasn't in love. Then again, she couldn't remember ever being in love, so if she was she didn't recognize the feeling.

She tossed and turned for a while before getting up. She tiptoed towards the kitchen, her loose nightgown flowing around her. She needed to talk to someone. More specifically, someone who was in love, or had been at some point. Rei came to mind, but it seemed likely she was busy in the shrine or sleeping by now. Soon after her girlfriend Minako came to mind. Immediately Ami punched Minako's phone number into the phone.

_Ring..._

_'Oh please be there Minako-chan,'_ Ami thought desperately.

_Ring..._

Normally Minako would have answered by now. Her phone was practically attached to her hip.

_Ring.._.

"Hello?" chirped Minako after she finally picked up.

"Minako, I need to talk to you," Ami said in a fairly quiet voice.

"Ami-chan? Is that you? Why are you talking like that?"

"I don't want to wake Michiru. She's tired. Anyway, I need to ask you something."

"Sure!" Minako sounded happy, as usual. "What is it?"

Ami swallowed, being selective with her words. It was possible Minako could misunderstand her or take things the wrong way, as she'd learned from years of being her friend. "Well, um, I was wondering...what's it like to be in love?"

Minako was strangely silent. She too thought for a moment before answering. "It's indescribable. Sometimes it's like you're on top of the world. Sometimes it's like your heart is being beaten and broken into a million pieces. It makes everything feel so stronger, and it's all caused by one person." Her voice was dreamy and yet somehow serious.

"But that's just summarizing it. It's different for everyone. It may not help to here this, but once you feel it, you just know. Like when I knew my crush on Rei elevated to something more. Now that we're together, I feel happier when she's with me and sadder when she's away." She caught her breath. "Why, Ami, is there a special someone you like?"

Ami blushed. She could perfectly picture Minako's smug grin right now. "Um, no, I don't think so. I was...well, just curious."

Minako didn't entirely believe her but didn't ask any more questions. She'd save that for later. "Well, okay. I hope I helped."

"Oh yes, you did."

"Call me if you want to talk again, 'kay?"

"Sure. Thanks Minako-chan."

"No problem." Yawn. "I think I'll go to bed now. Good night!"

They both hung up. Ami felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. With that burden gone, she was able to crawl into bed and fall into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Yes, I added Rei and Minako as a couple, mainly for the conversation above. I may mention them later as well.

I do love Haruka and Michiru as a couple for the record. I only broke them up for this story's sake. I didn't want to kill Haruka off or not include her entirely because that seemed unoriginal. I do believe Haruka and Michiru really are in love, but I decided they weren't for this story's purpose. I hope that makes sense. Let me know what you think!


End file.
